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Every Journey, starts with a First Step

Every journey, does indeed start with a first step, even if your not too sure, what that first step is.

I’ve had a recent experience of this thought. Something happened, but I was in denial about the upset, it had caused me. 😦

My go to place, when things go wrong, is to, Accept, Repent and Forgive. I was trying to do this, but, the upset remained. (Unbeknown to me.)

Forgiving was, in some ways, the easy part. What happened, was nobody’s fault. So, it was relatively easy to forgive, as there wasn’t any real fault, by anyone, myself included.

Repenting? Not too sure what I did with this, on this occasion, but it should be easy to want to do better next time. If I can do X,Y and Z, to stop it happening again, then I gladly would. I couldn’t even really go and have a rant at anyone, as no one was to blame for what happened. So, the Repent, was relatively easy.

How about Accepting?

Looking back, I can clearly see, that I was in Denial, about this one.

Denial, if it helps you to get through a situation, can actually be a good thing. If there is something that you need to do, but you are overwhelmed with ….. , then Denial can be helpful, if it allows you to do …… , instead of falling apart, or just stopping at the wrong time.

But, Denial is only going to be helpful, if it is only in play, for the time that it is needed, to actually be helpful.

For me, I possibly kind of knew that I was in denial, on some level, but I had no way of, How to Deal with it? 😦

Thankfully, I was looking to my Heavenly Father, for His help. This was probably the first step of the journey.

I had a thought, to make a phone call, to an organisation, that might be able to offer some advice. I did follow up on this thought.

It was when I was speaking with a complete stranger, that I came face to face with my upset. Ok, I got a bit emotional. (Thankfully it was with a complete stranger, who I’ll probably never come into contact with again, who was sympathetic.)
For me, it was the start of a release, that I was needing. A need to Accept, that I was upset, by what had happened.
The phone call itself, was just a confirmation that the actions that I’d taken were the actions to take, and that nothing much more was needed to be done.
From the other person’s point of view, it may have been a bit of a nothing conversation. It was a kind of, you’ve done all you can, so there’s not much more to do.

But, for me, it was coming face to face with the denial, about the upset, that I was trying to push to the side.
Once I realised this, I could then start talking to my Heavenly Father about my upset, properly. The next step of the process. (Which then probably led to another, more fuller, round of … Accept, Repent, and Forgive.)

If you are struggling with anything, then my advice would be to take the first step of, take it to your Heavenly Father and ask for His guidance for what you should do next.
Then be willing to give the answer, that He gives to you, a go.

Sometimes, we may even think, “But I’ve done that already!”
Some first steps, are worth doing, time, and time….. and time, again. 🙂

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Please, Replace my Struggle, with something Better.

I was listening to people speaking out testimonies recently, and then I was reminded of something.

I was struggling with something that had too much pull on me.

I wanted to put it down and turn away from it, but it kept pulling me back.

I remember praying something along the lines of,

“Lord, please give me something better than the thing that I’m struggling with. Please give me a better option, so that I won’t even want to look at the thing that I’m struggling with. Please let the thing that I’m struggling with become so small, so that it just falls away.”

That was probably better than what I prayed, but it is the essence.

God has done it!

I struggle to remember what it was that I asked for, to be taken away, and I am thankfull for that. (And I do try to, not remember it!!) … (But I have been reminded of a previous post… Link Here.)

Part of the process has been doing the things that God was moving me to.

To not think that something is too small, to do.

To say Yes, to the things, that I would want to overlook.

If Our Lord is asking us to do something, then it is for our own good, and it is to our benefit if we follow where he leads us.

The idea of following, where we are being led to go, also connects with last week’s post of which kind of asks…

Will we take hold of the gruel that is being offered to us.

We may want steak, but gruel is offered.

To a starving person, gruel is life giving.

Will we turn our nose up at the gruel, just because it’s gruel?

That’s the short version. The full version can be read from the link below. (For those who want more… ?? 🙂 )

Who Wants more… Gruel.. ??

I think that I’ve now finished this post, but it doesn’t feel like an end???

Instead of just finishing here, I’ll repeat the prayer I said. If you need to, or are led to, you could dwell on it, with Our Heavenly Father.

“Lord, please give me something better than the thing that I’m struggling with. Please give me a better option, so that I won’t even want to look at the thing that I’m struggling with. Please let the thing that I’m struggling with become so small, so that it just falls away. Amen.

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Who wants More… Gruel..??

Oliver Twist did, when he asked, “Please, sir, may I have some more please?”

Oliver Twist was hungry for more, even though it was only gruel that was on the menu. He had, had his allotted portion, but he was still hungry for more.

The first thought for this post was along the lines of,
“Who will take the gruel, that is on offer?
Will you take it, or are you just waiting for the steak?
Will you die of hunger, as you wait for the Steak, whilst the gruel is readily available?”

That’s a bit too long for a post title, so I shortened it to,
“Who wants More… Gruel..??”

Gruel, could probably be described as one of the most unappetizing forms of food to eat. But, it can sustain you!

How many of us, refuse the gruel, that’s on offer, because we don’t like what it looks like?
How many of us, are starving, because we are waiting, for the Steak, to turn up? (If you don’t like Steak, then please replace Steak, with your favourite food. 🙂 )

If you truly ever were starving, then would you really ever say no to the gruel?
Gruel, to a starving person, is life giving. Something that will not be refused.

So, again, I ask the question, “Who is refusing the “spiritual” gruel, whilst you’re waiting for the “spiritual” steak to turn up, whilst you are “spiritually” starving?”

You may be asking, “What spiritual gruel, am I saying no to?”

You need to be seeking Our Heavenly Father, for His answers to that one. However, some possible answers could be…
Reading the bible?
Praying?
Meeting together?
Just doing …. ?

I have to admit, that it was the praying one, that started my thinking on this post. Would my title have been along the lines of, “I’m taking the gruel, while I’m waiting for the steak to turn up.” ?

That title sounds Great, and awful, all at the same time… ???
(Sometimes I get so confused??? 🙂 )

We all may want the “Steak” (or your favourite food) but how many of us just need to take hold of, that which is available to us now, even if that means, just taking hold of the “Gruel”?

Willingly going to a meeting, that you are being led to go to, to only find gruel available, is still being fed a meal, that sustains and strengthens you.

Who will take the gruel, that is on offer, whilst we wait, for the steak?

Have we been starving ourselves for so long, so that the steak is too much for us???

If we take hold of the gruel, that is on offer, will we then get ourselves into a position, where we are then ready for the Steak?
Is the Steak ready and waiting for us, but we’re not ready for it?

Lord, can we please have eyes to see what is good for us, even if it’s a bit unappetizing to our tastes.
Help us to follow Your prompting, for what we should do, and where we should go.
Amen.

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God’s Words, can be Challenging!

Have we been fed a lie, by thinking that God will only bring a pleasant, uplifting, friendly word?

What I’m trying to get to, is, can we sometimes dismiss a word from God, because we think that it doesn’t sound like an uplifting word, that we would expect to hear from Him?

Now, let’s be clear about one thing. If a word has genuinely come from God, then if it is heard, and followed, it will have a good effect or result. But will it be a pleasant experience, when the word is first received or even during the process?

If it doesn’t begin with a pleasant, pleasing experience, then are there some who might say, “This can’t be from God, as it doesn’t fit what I would expect to hear from God!” ?

It is this kind of wrong thinking, that I’m trying to shine a light on, with this post.

If we look to the bible, then we can find many words from God, which can appear to be a bit (or a lot) of a challenge, to the one/s who are recieving the word.
Have a read of the letters to the churches in Revelation, if you want to see a challenging word or two. 🙂

Revelation 3:16
16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

But could we be tempted to think, “Jesus would be friendly to us in person, as he is a loving God.” ?
Would Peter ever agree with this thought, after his experience in…

Matthew 16:23
23 Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Ironically, Peter received this rebuke, shortly after he had received praise from Jesus, for speaking out a truth that God had revealed to him.

Matthew 16:16-17
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.

If there is a need for a change of direction, or a warning needs to be given, then a challenging word may be needed.
The question is, “Will we hear and follow, such a word?”
Or will we just dismiss it, because it doesn’t fit what we think it should be?

If we are receiving a challenging word from Our Lord God, then will we ask the simple questions of, “Is this really from you Lord?”
If the answer is a “Yes”, then will we seek Him further, with, “Can You please lead and guide me further, in the next step or steps that I should take.” ?

Our Heavenly Father, does indeed bring us many different words, to lead and guide us. To enable us to be the best version of ourselves that we can be.
Do we really want to hear all of His words to us?
Even the challenging ones?

Revelation 3:19
19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent.

Hebrews 12:11
11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

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A Shaking Fist?

This is week’s post, could be considered a repeat of last week’s. But it’s more of a follow up.
The picture has been working it’s way through me, so, it just feels that there is a bit more to say. Apologies to those, if you feel that you are are re-reading, some of the same thing.

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There is a vision of what should be, but then there can be a very different outcome, that can work it’s way out.

The vision is for a friendly hand, to be offered as a handshake. But a shaking fist, can end up being the outcome. 😦

How can this possibly be?

The friendly handshake is God’s vision for what should be, but our plans and thoughts, can kind of just get in the way, so that we then just end up with a slightly twisted version.

This next bit, you may even be able to act out.

The vision is for a hand to be outstretched, in offer of a friendly handshake.
But because of our thoughts and agenda, the vision becomes slightly distorted. Hence, the hand is twisted so that the palm of the hand, is facing upwards. During this action, the fingers, instead of pointing outward, start to curl inwards. It is somehow known that something isn’t quite right, so we then hold onto our thoughts and agenda, that much more intently. Hence the fingers close into a fist. Because of all the tension, this fist then shakes, ever so slightly.

Thus, we finish with a vision, of a friendly handshake being offered, but end up with, a shaking fist.

It’s only a slight misalignment in the action, but there is a massive difference in the final message that is sent!
A friendly handshake, or a shaking fist.

We all, most certainly want to be offering a friendly handshake, but how many of us are just shaking our fists?

We may all mean to offer the friendly handshake, but how many of us, have got a slight misadjustment going on, which we respond to, by holding tightly onto our plans and our thoughts, which leads to the other, unfriendly version?

Do we need to release our grip on our thoughts and plans?
Do we need to realign our thinking, so that it is in line with Our Lord God’s thinking?

Are we willing to ask Our Lord God, “Am I getting something wrong, in some way, here?”
Will we be willing to hear, His answers to us, even it it means that we need to change our thoughts and actions, so that we are aligned with His thoughts?

Ultimately, do we want to approach Our Lord God, with a shaking fist, or an open hand, in the form of a handshake?

Our Lord God does know what is Best, and will lead us in the Best way to go, if we will follow His thoughts and His leading.

Jeremiah 29:11
11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Romans 12:2
2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

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What Drives You?

I’ve re-read this a couple of times, since I’ve written it. Part of me is asking, “Am I becoming a merchant for doom and gloom? The site is called Wannabe Christian Doorman. It’s meant to be about drawing people closer to God. Does this post do that?”

Ultimately, I do think that the answer to that one is “Yes”, if it is understood. This is one of those posts, where I write it, then post it, and then leave it in Our Lords hands, for Him to do, whatever He wants to do with it.

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A picture came to me, as I was pondering on something. This is going to be my attempt to write it down.

The thought started with, targets set in the work place.

Upper management can have a vision of what they want to achieve.
They then set targets, to be achieved, which they then present to the middle management, so that the vision will be achieved.

The middle management take these targets into their core, and then try to do their best, to achieve the targets set from above, in order to please their bosses. The middle management may or may not know about the vision, but it is the targets that they are set, that then becomes their driving force.
Then the vision, just somehow gets pushed to the side. It’s as if the middle management, look for the literal translation of what the target is, without considering the vision.
It’s like the question of, “What must we do, to meet this target?” becomes the vision, for the middle management.

Is it this slight misalignment that can then cause so many problems?

It can be like, the vision is to offer a friendly handshake out to all, in order to invite others in. But, a shaking fist, somehow ends up being the result???

How can this be so????

Is it because the targets get ever so slightly misunderstood, so that they then bring about a twisted vision, in place of the actual vision?

You may even be able to act out the next part of this post?

A hand is outstretched, in offer of a hand shake.
But because of the slightly twisted targets, the hand is twisted so that the palm of the hand, is facing upwards. During this action, the fingers, instead of pointing outward, start to curl inwards.
It is somehow known that something isn’t quite right, so the targets are then held onto that much more intently. Hence the fingers close into a fist.
Because of all the tension, this fist then shakes, ever so slightly.

So we end up with, a vision of an outstretched friendly handshake, but end up with… a shaking fist. 😦

So far, this post may have been a bit of a fun read???
How many of us can see this picture kind of happening in certain areas of our lives?
But, is it happening in our own lives???

Do we hold onto targets, so tightly, in place of the core vision?
Do we put our own thoughts and desires, above Our Lord God’s?

Are we at peace, with how we conduct ourselves, or is there a shaking fist, at work within us?

Will we seriously seek Our Heavenly Father for His answers to this question?

2 Timothy 3:1-9
3 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.

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Excelence is Wanted, but who will Be Excellent?

Denial, can be a Tricky thing.

Are we be like the Church at Laodicea?

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Excellence is wanted, but who will be Excellent?

“Be Excellent to each other.” I’m just going to get the quote from Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure, out of the way, just so it stops distracting me. 🙂

Everybody wants Excellence, but who is willing to be Excellent?
This is one of those thoughts, that just came to me. (This is the true starting point of this post.)

Another version of the thought, could read, “Everybody wants the Best, from everyone else, but who is willing to give their Best?”

To be Excellent, or to give your Best, can be a tough thing to do.
Is this because we kind of know, that we are unlikely to receive the Best, or Excellence, from others?

I dare say that most people can see how this can go.
We may want to be Excellent, or give our Best, but life, can just kind of knock it out of us. 😦

If we do give our Best, but then find that others just take advantage of us and our good intensions, then how long will we keep on giving our best?
How long can we keep being Excellent, when others tend to not be so excellent???

The bible has something to say about this.

1 Peter 1:14-16
14 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Leviticus 19:1-2
19 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: ‘Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.

It appears to be clear, that the Bible has a call, to be holy (or Excellent) first. 🙂

Knowing that Our God is is calling us to do, and be the best that we can be, then can that be of any help to us?

If Our Lord God is calling us to be the Best that we can be, then surely, He will be there with us, in order to help us to be, the Best that we can be. So, what help can we draw upon?

Philippians 4:13
13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

The words of a song, has just come to me, as I’m writing this…

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord. We will wait upon the Lord. We will wait upon the Lord.

For those of us, who do want to follow the call of Our Heavenly Father, to be Holy, there is also a source of strength and help, to do what He is asking of us. We just need to tap into, or better still, make and keep, a strong connection with Him.

Philippians 1:6

6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

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It’s OK, I’ve got my card.

This weeks post is a testimony that I heard recently.

A husband and wife, were out together one day. The husband then asked, “Shall we stop off for a tea?”

The wife replied, “But I don’t have any money with me.”

The husband replied, “It’s ok, I’ve got my card with me.”

The wife, just accepted this, and they then started to make their way to a cafe.

On the way to the cafe, the husband asked, “When I said that I have my card with me, did you believe me?”

“Of course I did. You are my husband and I trust you.” Answered the wife, a little confused.

The husband then went onto say, “God tells us that He has many good gifts for us. How much do we believe that this is so? Do you believe that God has many good gifts for us, and that He wants to share these gifts with us, in the same way that you trusted that I had my card with me and that I would pay for the tea?”

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God does indeed have many good gifts for us. Do we actually believe this to be so? How willing are we to accept His gifts to us?

James 1:17

17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

John 4:10

10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

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I Actually did, ….?

(Or the alternative title could be, A Gift is Given.)

What I did was so small, that I’m questioning my sanity by trying to write about it. But here it goes??? 🙂

My wife and I were at a churches together carol singing event on our high street. It was a good time. A few people stopped and seemed to enjoy it.

At one point, I noticed that a child of someone who I know was sitting on the cold floor.

I knew the floor was cold, as I could feel it through my shoes. Some of the singers were standing on carpet mats, and part of me wanted one for myself. But I was actually ok, and I didn’t want to make a fuss, so I just put up with the cold.

As I looked at the child, sitting on the floor, something inside me said, “It’s not right, that the child is sitting on the cold floor. There are plenty of carpet mats over there. Somebody, Give the child a Mat!”

I looked and hoped that someone else would notice what I had, and would actually give the child, a mat to sit on.

But, nobody else appeared to even be aware of the situation.

Then something inside me said, “You, why don’t you, just Give the child a Mat?”

I don’t like standing out. I don’t generally like to make a fuss. I was already putting up with the cold, because I didn’t want to make a fuss. And now, I’m supposed to go and pick up a mat, then walk over to the child, in front of everyone, and offer a mat to a child, who I don’t really know (although I do know their parents) even though it hasn’t even been asked for? To top this all off, it was happening during a talking part, so I would be standing out, all the more.

The something inside me won, this time, and I went and picked up the mat, then walked behind as many people as I could, and made my way to the child. Without saying a word, I just placed the mat on the floor, by the child.
Thankfully, the child understood what was being offered, and without any fuss, just accepted the mat, and sat on it. I then quietly went back to my place of safety and comfort.

I did tell you it was a very small thing. 🙂

I have to say that I was so pleased that, I had actually followed the thought I had, “to just do it”. The Joy that was in me (I think that is the best way to describe it) went off the scale, to just see the child sitting on a mat, instead of the floor.

My thoughts have since gone to, A gift has been given, and a gift has been accepted. It’s so simple, really.
Also, the gift was made available, because the gift giver said, “OK, I’ll just do this little thing.”

The gift, in this instance, was just a mat to sit on, but at this Christmas time, another gift is freely made available to ALL!
But will it be accepted?
Will it even be offered?

If you are asked to do or say something, from Our Lord God, and you know that it’s from Him, then will you do or say, what He wants you to?
If you do, then will you have a measure of Joy, that makes no sense?

If you are offered a gift, then will you accept it?

The gift of the mat could have been refused. “No thank you. I’m OK on this cold floor. I don’t need or want the mat that is being offered.” Could have been the response. But thankfully it wasn’t.

At this time of Christmas, the gift of a relationship with The Lord God Almighty, is offered!
Will you accept it?
It’s so simple, really. All we need to do, is to say, “Yes please, I would like to know You, personally, Lord God Almighty.”

So, at this Christmas time, will you let the reason for the season in?
Will you say yes, to The Lord God Almighty?

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Do I miss, What The Cross was, for Jesus?

Last week I shared a thought about Jesus’s last words. I feel that there was so much that I didn’t say, so this week is a continuation of last week’s post.

Brief summary of last week’s post.
Was Jesus’s last words, a source of strength and a vision for what He was doing?

A marathon runner may well understand what “The Wall” is better than me. I’ve heard that it is a point when your body effectively says, “No more, this is where you stop!” To overcome this point, it takes a sheer force of will, to overcome what the body wants to do. Which is to stop.

Running a marathon, is but a gentle walk in the park, when compared to the path that Jesus walked, in going to, and remaining on the cross. So I think that I’m on safe ground to say that Jesus, would have had to face His own “Wall”, during His crucifixion.

How do you overcome “The Wall” then?

For a marathon runner, having their eyes fixed on the finishing line, can make a big difference!
A vision of where they want to be.
A vision of where, they Will Get TO!
A vision of what it is, that they want to achieve.

Again, I think that I’m on safe ground to say that Jesus, would have had a vision of what He was endeavouring to achieve, whilst He was walking the path, laid out in front of Him, on the day that He willingly went to the cross. He even spoke His vision out, on the cross with His last words. Tetelestai. (It is finished, complete, paid in Full!)

We know that Jesus didn’t want to go to the cross, as we can read..

Matthew 26:37-39
37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

Luke 22:40-44
40 On reaching the place, he said to them, “Pray that you will not fall into temptation.” 41 He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” 43 An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. 44 And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.

Was this time, in the garden of Gethsemane, one of the walls that Jesus had to overcome?

We can see something of how Jesus overcame these walls in…

Hebrews 12:2
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jesus endured the cross, willingly, for the Joy, that He knew was coming.

This is where I can start to overlook all the pain and suffering that Jesus went through. It was for Joy, that Jesus endured all that pain and suffering, after all, and that price has now been paid.
So we can now rejoice with Him, for all that He has done, can’t we?

Well, Yes we can!
Because Jesus Has paid the price. But, it was a Heavy price to pay, which I think that, sometimes (or most times), I just don’t get.
We even have a song with this very thought included in it. (From, Here I am to worship.)

I’ll never know
How much it cost
To see my sin
Upon that cross

I’m thinking that I’m just starting to get a glimpse of how bad it was, by seeing that Jesus, was possibly saying ‘Tetelestai” (It is finished, complete, paid in Full!) as a source of strengthening, so that He could focus on the Joy that was coming, once the price had been paid.

As much Jesus’s final words was a statement of victory over sin and death, how much were they a vision of what he was achieving, so that He could and would, stay the course?

It was a choice for Jesus to willingly go to, and to remain on the cross. Jesus had disciples who were willing to, and tried to, fight for Jesus, as seen in..

Luke 22:49-51
49 When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.

51 But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.

There really is no question that Jesus went willingly to the cross. He told His disciples not to fight, and even healed one who had come to take Him away.

I find it a bit (or a lot) ironic that Jesus even gives a demonstration of His Power and Authority, by healing one of those, who came to arrest Him.

Jesus went willingly to the cross. Knowing the pain and suffering that He was to face.

With regards to remaining on the cross.
How many Heavenly beings were just waiting for a word to step in and free Jesus from the torture of the cross?
How quickly could Jesus have set Himself free, if He was to choose to?
Jesus is fully God as well as being fully man. He had the power to release Himself, if He had chosen to. But,”For the joy set before him he endured the cross”.

If there was any other way for the price to be paid, then I’m pretty sure that it would have been taken. How many Heavenly beings would have gladly paid the price, so that Jesus wouldn’t have to?
But Revelation 5 tells us.

Revelation 5:1-6
5 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”

6 Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

Jesus was the only one who could pay the price, and we all, who accept and invite Him into our hearts and lives, now benefit from the price, that He paid, as heavy and tough, as it was.

The final thoughts for this post, are going to, if we can start to grasp, just how much of a price, was paid for us, then could we start to be more willing to say “Yes” to Him, who paid such a high price for us?
Could we try to stop looking for and finding or making reasons, to say no to Him. Could we in fact, try to open our hearts up to Him, who is Worthy of All Honour, Glory and Praise.

Revelation 3:20
20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.